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Between December 2007 and April 2008 the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma, will deliver a series of key speeches setting out an agenda for change in Indigenous affairs.

When I was invited to prepare this paper, Andrew Byrnes encouraged me to concentrate on drawing out strategic thoughts from the Australian experience which might be relevant in Hong Kong , and perhaps in other countries also. That is what I hope to do, rather than spending much time simply reciting that experience or the terms of Australia 's legislation.

I was pleased to get this invitation to make a contribution to this forth and final workshop on the development of Disability Action Plans organised by the Office for Disability.

We would like to begin by emphasising the limited role of discrimination law - that is, we agree to some extent with comments by ACCI that equality cannot be achieved solely by providing stronger antidiscrimination legal provisions.

In our new strategic plan we commit to 'motivating big business to incorporate human rights into their everyday business practice'.

I'm honoured to give this address. I completed my law degree at this university, and well remember the December day in 1977 when I received it. It was the culmination of four years of hard work, experiencing the pleasures and trials of campus life, and acquiring - as well as a reasonable amount of legal knowledge - a much broader appreciation of the world around me, warts and all.

Good morning, everyone and thank you for inviting me to be here today to talk to you about the importance of children’s rights. I’d like to begin by also acknowledging the traditional owners of the land, and paying my respects to elders past, present and emerging. I’d also like to acknowledge any Indigenous guests who are present with us today. I’m going to start by telling you a little…

Jalangurru lanygu balangarri. Yaningi Yatharra ngindaji muwayi indirranggu, Kaurna yani U. It is wonderful to be here with you today on Noongar Boodja country. I would also like to acknowledge all the country from around this state and beyond that people may joining in from online. My deepest respects to all our elders past, present and emerging. I would like to express my thanks to Michelle…

When I first entered the law 'benchbooks' were closely guarded, leather bound books into which judges carefully entered notes as a case progressed - usually I thought adverse comments and exclamation marks about one's arguments or less than flattering remarks about one's principal witness. These books seemed to be some kind of secret code to the outcome of cases and never saw the light of day.

I'd also like to acknowledge Brian Rope's many years of contribution to the disability sector, and wish him well in retirement, and wish Nicole Lawder success as she moves into the CEO's role.

I begin by paying my respects to the Gadigal peoples of the Eora nation, the traditional owners of the land where we gather today.  I pay my respects to your elders, to the ancestors and to those who have come before us.  And thank you, Alan Madden, for your generous welcome to country for all of us.

I would like to thank ACROD for inviting me to deliver the Kenneth Jenkins Oration; both because I regard it as a privilege and because it gives me the opportunity to address a gathering of the key people in the disability field at an important time in the work of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

This session focuses primarily on relationships between National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI’s) and the Judiciary, but as well touches on their relationship with officers of the executive government such as the Attorney-General. One of the stated aims of this session is to assess how the independent institutions of the judiciary and NHRI’s can mutually and independently strengthen…